From phonetics to grammar

Abstract

Abstract In this paper I argue that if we search for a phonological origin of the lengthened grade in the n.sg. of consonant stems, the most plausible candidates are stems in /r/ which underwent the change known as Szemerényi’s Law. In an attempt to evaluate the validity of the law I then give a scenario for the processes behind it based on the interaction of hypocorrection and morphological restructuring. Finally, I plead for an alternative scenario based exclusively on external reconstruction, which forfeits the ideal of a transparent PIE with strict concatenative inflectional morphology.